Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-04-19

iigure, and what greatly ssrprisel me was
that lie wore q hat,
n could pee neither bis face nor his dress.
but assure ,ou this tall, black figure wear
Ing bat, was OF no very comfortable aspect
% saw It pass through that mysterious light.
He crossed the room, whistllng all the
while and sat down with bis back to the |
window, the curtains Of which he arranged 80
as . completely conceal his person.
wen, what do sou wantl' he asked In q
very deep voice. II hope your business Is
very important. Otherwise you NAY get into
trouble for disturbing me at this hour. Come,
what is itl''
Il had prepared my answer, and said: "we
| have had an offer of 5000 from Whites, OF
New York, for the advance sheets Of your next
novel, We are to cable reply have been
sent down 20 consult you. and at the same
time to ask you when 1t will be ready. We are
very anxious to get the manuscript in hand at
| clce."
mr.. Mort made no answer, and the perfect
stiffness OF the house. the awful light that
shown through the window, and the dim out
line OF the mysterious figure among the cur
tains, produced together an effect that was
decidedly unpleasant to my nerves. decid-
ed that my joke had gone far enough. But
could not 90 away without seeing our author;
that would have been a fasco So dropped
shilling on the floor pretended to group for
1t, and struck fusee.
with cry that chilled me TO the bones,
the fgure sprang at me, with its arms out.
vi course was not going to stand any vio-
lence, author or no author, so pushed my
chair In between his legs and down be came,
such cropperl Meanwhile rushed out into
the passage, opened the door somehow, and
ran all the way here. And jolly glad am to
be out Of that house"
but didn't you see him after all!'' cried.
70 yes" answered Charlie, II just had
glance as dropped my fusee, when he
rushed at me- But that glance was quite
enough. 1t was like concentrated Bedlam.
swell, describe him to us, Charlie" said
! my husband who seemed as much interested
J as myself was.
"A tall, fat man, with fat face, bsardless
and whiskerless. He had top hat on. His
hair was short and like rats tails''
John" cried, horror-stricken; ''whe,
that's Mrs. Mort.
Y This is very serious matter" said my
t husband. hardly know what to think. We
met 60 round to Squire Dale the first thing
I in the morning and tell him what we have
= heard. He is magis trate and will know how
/ to act.
s Perhaps she has murdered him,'iI cried,
and has him in the house o John, how
|. horrible"
/ Don't jump at conclusions like that, Mary
n said my husband. Il don't know what to
d think, but am convinced the matter ought
It to be Investigated. Come, let us 90 to bed.
O We will speak to Dale in the morning."
| a 81 ttat, Ittf
d kept thinking Of that horrible woman and
:. fancying all kinds OF dreadful things about
. her and her house.
" immediately after breakfast next morning
g we went round to the grange. Mr.. Dale.
!. | when he heard Charles story, was most reso-
| | lutte He decided to draw out a search war
:. rant, and 10 enter the premises by force, il
h necessary When the village constable, whom
,e he sent for had arrived he set out with him
"a aud my husband Charlie was anxious to &C.
e company them, but felt so nervous that in
W sisted on his escorting me home Mrs Dali
1t was Ill at the time, so did not want to let he
It know what had happened.
d We waited at the yicarage with the creates
Is Impotence for Johns return. Charlie be
Is haved horribly, and flied my head with thu
It most grucsome fancies. | can not imagin
20 where he could have heard all the dread u
IT stories he told me. He decided that Mrs
g Mort must have killed her husband, and thai
" the dead body was stuffed up the parlor chin
ney. At last, seeing how frightened l was
Of he tried to calm me by hanging at himself.
e mo Mary said he; I've got it now
: The old lady keeps her husband chained up +
the back kitchen, on bread and water, an
to only lets him out when he has finished u boob
1 Ii
h work"
I could not help smiling at this iiea, bu
- nevertheless mighty curious to hear wha
my husband would have TO tell. He retarne
ut about noon, aud we met him at the gate.
I'd saw at once by his face that my silly fear
Id had been unfounded. He laughed heartily
as he glanced at my pale checks and scare
ks expression.
OF ''Don't be frightened, little woman"
said, taking my arm. cts nothing 50 vel
'r- dreadful, after all. We had great work to Ct
to into the house, and it was only when IL
d, squire threatened to have the door broke
I'd down that Mrs. Mort let us in. I never saw
de woman look so furious. Mr. Dale was very p
lite but said that, as there were all kinds
,lo rumors ahoat he had felt it his duty to ask
rg sec Mr.. Mort in person.
III " Y on can't; hes pussy answered. Mf
st | Mort.
no 81 am sorry to say said the squire, that
or must insist on disturbing him. There is su
,er picion, ridiculous enough no doubt of TO
nd play on your part, Mrs. Mort. Kindly ASST
me in clearing this matter up for once al
all
en- II can't; he's asleep. Call again, s.
me snarled
You arc prevaricating,' answered &
nd squire 4 must search the promises. Const
ad Bile attend to this lady while we 80 up-stair
zee Mrs Mort threw herself on the ground
fore him. and clasplug his knees, besoug
me him not to do so-not to wake her James, b
are 20 call again.
This OF course only confirmed the mag
lad trate's suspicious, and, handing the lady oV
to the constable who locked himself mp wi
ore her in the famous drawing-rocm, he went L
lrd stairs, accompanied by me.
es The first room we came into was furnish
Ply with bed table, aud chair, The tai
was fitted with writing materials, and cover
& with pages Of manuscript. a pile OF boz
'er- was hcaped up in one corner. All the 9th
ust rooms were quite empty, and, though We
stituted thorough search in all direction
: We were unable 10 discover any trace of \
Mort. or of his mortal remains
les, At last We descended 10 the 1rawng-roo
We found Mrs Mort at the piano. She "
d playing the Dead March 10 Saul" The CT
..oLia +,n,,ad his head siUntfcantly as he